Tarrant County Jury Sentences Driver to 68 Years in Deadly I-35W Crash
Eduardo Gonzalez, 21, was convicted of five counts of intoxication manslaughter for the August 2024 collision that killed three children and two adults near Fort Worth.
By Nathan Brooks ·
A Tarrant County jury sentenced Eduardo Gonzalez to 68 years in prison on Friday for a fatal collision on Interstate 35W in Fort Worth. The verdict resolved a case that prosecutors argued involved extreme negligence and impaired driving.
Gonzalez, 21, was driving a Chevrolet Camaro at approximately 130 miles per hour shortly after midnight on August 19, 2024, near the East Seminary Drive exit. He rear-ended another vehicle, which caught fire, resulting in the deaths of five people. Authorities identified the victims as Willie Lee Gunn, 48; Amber Dawn Hopewell, 38; Elijah Zane Carroll, 9; Chrystale Rayshell Cobbin, 4; and Amiyah LaShae Rose Fisher, 2.
The Tarrant County District Attorney's Office stated that Gonzalez was convicted of five counts of intoxication manslaughter. He received a 17-year sentence for each count, plus a total fine of $50,000. The sentences for the three child victims will be served consecutively, while the sentences for the two adult victims will run concurrently. This sentencing structure results in a total prison term of 68 years.
District Attorney Phil Sorrells addressed the outcome in a statement, noting that while no sentence can restore the lost lives, the verdict holds Gonzalez accountable for each victim. Assistant District Attorney Lloyd Whelchel described the scene, stating that Gonzalez was high on THC and had been drinking. Whelchel said the driver never looked up or saw the car ahead of him.
Investigators reported that Gonzalez had red, watery eyes, slurred speech, and smelled of alcohol at the time of the crash. Officers also found alcoholic beverages inside his Camaro. The Tarrant County District Attorney's Office released the final sentencing details in a news release on Friday.
